Washing machine drive



Oct.23, 1945. J, bAKLEY 2,387,283

WASHING MACHINE DRIVE Filed, April 11, 1944 Patented Oct. 23, 1945 NITED STATES PATENT WASHING MACHINE DRIVE setts Application April 11, 1944, Serial No. 530,457

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in washing machines and the like and is directed more particularly to driving mechanisms therefor.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to driving mechanism which is particularly adapted for washing machines and is characterized by frictionally engageable driving and driven members whereby a shaft for an agitator may'be driven back and forth through various angles.

Mechanisms of the type to which this invention relates are intended to be responsive to the load applied to an osc'illatable shaft, such as the agitator shaft, and are arranged for adjustment to accommodate or operate on materials and fabrics of various kinds.

Some materials require more or less agitation than others and to that end the novel construction of this invention makes it possible to accommodate the angle of oscillation of the shaft to the material or fabric being washed. That is, the angle of oscillation may be varied from zero to the maximum, even while the mechanism i in operation.

Various novel features and advantages of the invention will be observed from the following description of the invention in the form at present preferred.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a partial inverted plan view of a washing machine tub having the novel features of the invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the driven member of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the driving member in engagement with the driven member;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the adjusting member of the mechanism; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevational view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the invention will be fully described.

A tub of a washing machine is represented by 2 to the bottom wall 6 of which is secured a housing 6 that may have a cover 8. v

A drive shaft I6 is journalled in the housing and extends upwardly along the side of the tub for operating a wringer mechanism. A motor l2 supported by a bracket l8 has a shaft l6 connected by a coupling l8 to a shaft 26 that is Journailed in the housing. A worm 22 on shaft 26 meshes with a gear 26 on shaft l6.

An agitator shaft 26 journalled in the housing extends up into the tub through wall 6. A driven member 30 is fixed on shaft 26.

A segment 32 is journalled on shaft 34 and it has a driving member 36 in the form of a curved bar secured thereto at one end while its other end may slide between lugs 38.

A link 46 ha opposite ends pivoted at 62 and 44 to the members 26 and 32 so that as the member 26 rotates the member 32 swings back and forth. The driven and driving members 30 and 36 have inclined frictionally engageable faces so that the latter may be driven by the former.

The driven member is shown as a female member but it may'have a circumferential tongue with the driving member having a groove.

The curvature of the driving member 36 is preferably on a radius less or slightly less than the distance from the axis of the shaft 36 to the driving surfaces of said member 36. The said member 36 is somewhat yieldable particularly between its ends and the said shaft 36 is movable towards and away from the driven member 36.

This may be accomplished in various ways but in the form of the invention shown the shaft 36 has a part Ml that is oscillatable in the cover 8 which is eccentrically disposed relative to the part 34. By rotating the part 66 in one direction or the other the driving member 32 is moved towards and away from the driven member.

When the driving member 3.2 is moved away from the driven member 36, the driving member in its back and forth movements will not operate the driven member. As the said driving member is moved towards the driven member to engage the engageable surfaces the driven member is oscillated thereby.

The driving member 36 being yieldable the driving and driven members are therefore yieldingly and frictionally engageable so that with the curvature of the driving member being on the shorter radius, as described, the angle of oscillation of the driven member may be varied accordingly as the driving member is moved in and out.

* To move the shaft 40 for varying the angle of oscillation a lever is secured to the said shaft which carries a member 62 that has an inclined face, as shown in Fig. 4.

An operating rod 64 has a lower portion 66 journalled in a bracket 68. The rod portion 66 extends through member 82 and has a member if! thereon that is provided with a projection for acting on the inclined surface of member 62 as shown.

A collar 12 is provided on the rod 66 and a from the driven member. In that way the angle of oscillation of the driven member may be varied. The engageable members 68 and 16 hold the rod 66 in adjusted positions.

, While the driven member 30 is shown to be outside the driving member it may be desired in some cases to locate the same inside of said member and in any event the driving and driven members may be arranged for the yielding frictional engagement whereby the angle of oscillation may be varied.

' The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all r pended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Let-- ters Patent of the United States is:

1. Variablemechanism for a, washing machine parallel to the axis of the agitator shaft, said driven member having angularly disposed friction faces, said driving member having a peripheral portion relatively yieldable intermediate opposite ends thereof providedv with friction faces complemental to and engageable with the faces of the driven member, and said driving member movable towards and away from the driven memher.

7 2. Variable mechanism for a washing machine having an agitator shaft comprising in combina-,. tion, 'a driven member on said shaft having spaced relatively angularly disposed friction faces, a driving member oscillatable on an axis tion, a driven member on said shaft having spaced relatively angularly disposed friction faces, a driving member oscillatable on an axis spaced from and parallel to the axis of, said agitator shaft having a curved peripheral portion provided with friction faces complemental to the friction faces of .the driven member which are formed on a slightly less radius than the distance between the axis of oscillation of the driving member and friction faces of the driven member, said peripheral portion being relatively yieldable intermediate its ends, and means for moving the driving member towards and away from the driven member.

JOHN OAKLEY. 

